[laker20]

About the 5th game of the year I told one of my co-workers that Anthony Davis may be the most talented player to ever wear the blue & white. Now that we're 39 games into the season he has shown that he's not only possibly the best to play at Kentucky, but possibly one of the best ever in all of college basketball. I know he's just a Freshman and we'll not get to see how good he'd become at the college level in multiple years, but where do you guys think he ranks in College Basketball history? Overall or Freshmen only?

[OffTheHook]

[Image: http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2012/0331/ncb...cr_576.jpg]

[OffTheHook]

Did you hear what Coach C told him during the post game interview?

Told him if he came back next season he could start at PG...LOL!

[RunItUpTheGut]

At this point, Best Freshman ever, if he stayed another year, he could very well be best overall.

[Fiddler]

He's the only UK player to ever be National Player of the Year.......
He's the best.......in my opinion he is so good we wont realize how special he was for a few years after he's gone.

[toussaints]

he's had the best season ever, but it's hard to pick a freshman as the best career ever.

jack givens, tony delk, tayshaun prince, jamal mashburn, and even keith bogans had better careers at UK. now if davis comesback one more year, then there's an argument

[laker20]

he's had the best season ever, but it's hard to pick a freshman as the best career ever.

jack givens, tony delk, tayshaun prince, jamal mashburn, and even keith bogans had better careers at UK. now if davis comesback one more year, then there's an argument

I agree, but IMO he has had the most impressive freshman performance of any player I've ever seen. If he stayed multiple years he could go down as the best ever.

Then again, some of us remember Roderick Rhodes freshman year............and look how that turned out. LOL

[Aslan]

I love Davis but you guys are forgetting about a guy who played for Texas a few years ago. Believe his name was Kevin Durant. He's a pretty good ball player. Probably going to win MVP this year. In college, he was the BEST player I've ever seen. I'd love to seen him play in the UK jersey.

[PaintsvilleTigerfan]

I love Davis but you guys are forgetting about a guy who played for Texas a few years ago. Believe his name was Kevin Durant. He's a pretty good ball player. Probably going to win MVP this year. In college, he was the BEST player I've ever seen. I'd love to seen him play in the UK jersey.

This thread was just about Kentucky players. And Anthony davis is probably the best freshman ever at Uk but best player IDK.

[Real Badman]

not yet.

[Aslan]

This thread was just about Kentucky players. And Anthony davis is probably the best freshman ever at Uk but best player IDK.

No it's not. The question was: "Where do you guys think he ranks in College Basketball history?"
Not strictly Kentucky history.
Davis is great, but Kevin Durant is the most gifted offensive player I've ever seen play in college and he's going to break so many scoring records in the NBA.
Davis stats are very similar to Patrick Ewings, if not better.

[Hoot Gibson]

Davis may be the best college basketball player ever at UK but of the players that I have watched play, I would take Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Bill Walton, and a few others over Davis as college players. I would take Davis over Patrick Ewing because I think that he plays much smarter than Ewing. Ewing was a great shot blocker but he got called a lot for goal tending and he did not keep most of his blocks in play like Davis does.

One of the most dominating college players who I ever saw play was Phil Ford, Ford had a solid but not spectacular NBA career - but before the shot clock came along, when teams fell behind North Carolina by a couple of baskets in the second half Ford's execution of Dean Smith's four-corner offense and his ability to hit free throws made it almost impossible to come from behind. I hated watching Ford take the air out of the ball but his point guard skills had to be demoralizing for opponents who fell behind the Tar Heels.

Any discussion of the greatest college players of all time would also have to include Pete Maravich. Maravich was on some very bad LSU teams but his skills were probably more polished as a college player than anybody's in history.

[Stardust]

Can someone define how? If the question is whether he is the greatest, then what are you using as a determining factor?

Is it based on awards won? Do we compare the rest of college basketball talent in comparable decades? Basketball during the 80's was the deepest of all-time! Players didn't leave after their Freshman year, great teams were good every year, not just one, more HOF coaches during this era than any other!

Are we basing it off stats? If its stats, do you look at the quality of opponents on teams schedules that allowed stat padding? Pistol Pete would be the best! Freeman Williams get credit for his 40 PPG but never played anyone?

Are you basing it on titles? How do you take or add credit for players surrounded by four other NBA or those who had four players who would not have started on good high school teams? Thus, Danny Manning or Larry Bird are the greatest players of all time.

Nah, too subjective and no way to take all factors into consideration.

[judgementday]

You could maybe make the case that he is the best UK freshman ever?

Either way, I am more than glad that he decided to spend is one year here at UK....he is one of the reasons Big Blue will be cutting the nets down tonight...

[laker20]

I don't think there is a way to compare without being subjective. As far as players at UK I think he is undeniably the best Freshman as far back as I can go from memory (1975). The only two that I could even compare would be The Goose, and Chapman. IMO Davis is on totally different level than Bowie or Skywalker.

When comparing to all college players it gets much more subjective. Offensively I think Pistol Pete will never be topped. Durant is an incredible offensive player and perhaps the greatest in this generation, but he was average at best on the other side of the ball compared to Davis. Of course, I would think Wilt the Stilt would come into the discussion as well.

I just think that Davis is one of the most complete players in the history of college basketball. He's so different than the old-school shot blockers who weren't allowed to dribble the ball. He can bring the ball up the court, he can post up, he can face up, he can guard the 5, the 4, and occasionally the 3. Perhaps the real question is....Who can he be compared with? I'm not sure he can be because he's like a Lew Alcindor / Shaq / Durant / Russell rolled up into one player.

I guess for me when it comes to UK, the Goose made me a UK Fan, Macy had me wearing the long socks, Mash revitalized the program, but Davis is not merely the best to ever where the blue & white, he's the player of the future....................Brow Down!

[Truth]

No. Kentucky has a long and storied history. Most of that relevant history was made prior to all the television hype. There were a goodly number of fine players who played for the legendary Adolph Rupp. Before crowning Davis, it would be wise to get educated about the players and teams who established the tradition. It certainly did not start with Rick Pitino.

I'll take Cliff Hagan, Dan Issel, Bill Spivey, Ralph Beard, Frank Ramsey, Cotton Nash, Pat Riley, et als. over these one year wonders.

[Overrated]

If he was at UK one more year. Then maybe so.

Hard to just play one year and be the greatest.

Hes awesome for sure.

[laker20]

No. Kentucky has a long and storied history. Most of that relevant history was made prior to all the television hype. There were a goodly number of fine players who played for the legendary Adolph Rupp. Before crowning Davis, it would be wise to get educated about the players and teams who established the tradition. It certainly did not start with Rick Pitino.

I'll take Cliff Hagan, Dan Issel, Bill Spivey, Ralph Beard, Frank Ramsey, Cotton Nash, Pat Riley, et als. over these one year wonders.

I think most UK fans are quite acquainted with Kentucky's storied history. However, the sport itself has evolved tremendously over the past 40-years. The style of the ABA made its way through the NBA and on down to the college level. This has also led to the transformation of the players themselves. Back in the late 60s & early 70s, 6'10" - 7' players were few and far between. Now, even DII school have them, and there much more than the post players of the past. That's why we have players like Durant, Lebron, etc. I feel safe to say that as dominant as the old Rupp teams and the old Wooden teams were, they would have an extremely hard time competing with the players of today.

Now that's not to say that Issel, Ramsey, Nash & Riley (I leave out Beard for sake of shaving my point....LOL) weren't some of the best of their time, but I don't think even Issel can be compared to what Davis is capable of. These young men today are just, bigger, stronger, faster, quicker, can jump higher, can shoot better, and the competition is as well.

I mean compare this team to the 95-96 team. I think that team was better at every position except the center, and I think this team would hold their own and possibly win because of Davis.

I know it's just one year, but that's part of what makes it so surreal.......he's just 19.

[Truth]

I think most UK fans are quite acquainted with Kentucky's storied history. However, the sport itself has evolved tremendously over the past 40-years. The style of the ABA made its way through the NBA and on down to the college level. This has also led to the transformation of the players themselves. Back in the late 60s & early 70s, 6'10" - 7' players were few and far between. Now, even DII school have them, and there much more than the post players of the past. That's why we have players like Durant, Lebron, etc. I feel safe to say that as dominant as the old Rupp teams and the old Wooden teams were, they would have an extremely hard time competing with the players of today.

Now that's not to say that Issel, Ramsey, Nash & Riley (I leave out Beard for sake of shaving my point....LOL) weren't some of the best of their time, but I don't think even Issel can be compared to what Davis is capable of. These young men today are just, bigger, stronger, faster, quicker, can jump higher, can shoot better, and the competition is as well.

I mean compare this team to the 95-96 team. I think that team was better at every position except the center, and I think this team would hold their own and possibly win because of Davis.

I know it's just one year, but that's part of what makes it so surreal.......he's just 19.

I agree that basketball has changed drastically in the last forty or so years. The players, though weaker fundamentally, are bigger, faster, and more agile but far less disciplined. Is the game better? Most, particularly the video game generation, would say it is better. But that is still in the eyes of each beholder. It is certainly more marketable to the masses of society.

[laker20]

I agree that basketball has changed drastically in the last forty or so years. The players, though weaker fundamentally, are bigger, faster, and more agile but far less disciplined. Is the game better? Most, particularly the video game generation, would say it is better. But that is still in the eyes of each beholder. It is certainly more marketable to the masses of society.

I don't disagree, and I think that you are touching on the very thing that makes Davis so popular in my eye. I'm not from the video game generation and I'm not from the Rupp era......I'm kinda between the two, and Davis displays the discipline & focus that you see from the players of the past combined with a bit of swag that's expected from a kid his age. He is somewhat old-school.

Before the game last night, one of the L'ville stations had an interview with Dan Issel. He basically stated that he was just blown away with the maturity of freshmen, and their ability to keep focused w/out becoming rattled, because freshmen in his time were not prepared physically or mentally for the college game. Of course, as freshmen Rupp didn't allow them to play varsity.

[Stardust]

I don't disagree, and I think that you are touching on the very thing that makes Davis so popular in my eye. I'm not from the video game generation and I'm not from the Rupp era......I'm kinda between the two, and Davis displays the discipline & focus that you see from the players of the past combined with a bit of swag that's expected from a kid his age. He is somewhat old-school.

Before the game last night, one of the L'ville stations had an interview with Dan Issel. He basically stated that he was just blown away with the maturity of freshmen, and their ability to keep focused w/out becoming rattled, because freshmen in his time were not prepared physically or mentally for the college game. Of course, as freshmen Rupp didn't allow them to play varsity.

Rupp had nothing to do with Freshman playing. 1972 was the first year college freshman were eligible to play, this happened to be Joe B Hall's first year with UK, thus Rupp never had the chance to play Freshman.

[zaga_fan]

I love Davis but you guys are forgetting about a guy who played for Texas a few years ago. Believe his name was Kevin Durant. He's a pretty good ball player. Probably going to win MVP this year. In college, he was the BEST player I've ever seen. I'd love to seen him play in the UK jersey.

If I had to make a top 5 of best freshman in the history of the game I can guarantee you Anthony Davis is in it but I can't guarantee you that Durant is...

[zaga_fan]

Chris Jackson averaged 30 a game as a Freshman at LSU
I remember Michael Beasley averaging 27 and 14 or something like that
Carmelo put up Durant-like numbers and won a title - Did Texas even make the sweet 16 that year?
I think Magic averaged a near triple-double his Freshman year

[Spud6]

Best defensive player? Yes!

Best overall player? No, but he could be IF he stayed.

[HollaBack]

This thread is a joke!!! I don't care if AD stayed all 4 years, he would NEVER live up to the accolades of the late great "Pistol" Pete Maravich!!!

[zaga_fan]

This thread is a joke!!! I don't care if AD stayed all 4 years, he would NEVER live up to the accolades of the late great "Pistol" Pete Maravich!!!

Or Kareem/Alcindor

[laker20]

This thread is a joke!!! I don't care if AD stayed all 4 years, he would NEVER live up to the accolades of the late great "Pistol" Pete Maravich!!!

Sorry for the insult, didn't know Pistol Pete's wife was a BGR member.

Wonder how many points Pistol Pete would have scored against AD?

[RoShamBo]

Or Kareem/Alcindor

Exactly, Alcindor was the best freshman and overall player in college history IMO.

[Jarons]

Exactly, Alcindor was the best freshman and overall player in college history IMO.

Alcindor did not play his freshmen year. Freshmen were not eligible when he was in college.

[Stardust]

Sorry for the insult, didn't know Pistol Pete's wife was a BGR member.

Wonder how many points Pistol Pete would have scored against AD?

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